First results from Au+Au collisions at (sNN)\sqrt(s_{NN}) = 9.2 GeV in STAR

One of the primary aims of heavy-ion collisions is to map the QCD phase diagram and search for different phases and phase boundaries. RHIC Energy Scan Program was launched to address this goal by studying heavy-ion collisions at different center of mass energies. The first test run with Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 9.2 GeV took place in early 2008. The large acceptance STAR detector has collected few thousands minimum bias collisions at this beam energy. We present the first results for identified particle yields and particle ratios. The results for the azimuthal anisotropy parameters $v_1$ and $v_2$ and those from pion interferometry measurements are also discussed in this paper. These results are compared to data from the SPS at similar beam energies.Comment: six pages, eight figures, proceedings for the talk given at Strange Quark Matter 2008, Beijing, China, October 6 - 10, 200

Effective E-Learning: Perspective of Adult Learners in Hong Kong

This article examines what constitute effective online learning from the perspective of students in web-enhanced programmes offered in Hong Kong. To investigate the success factors of e-Learning, as well as the role of Internet-based technologies in adult learning in Hong Kong, survey of students studying web-enhanced programmes was conducted in 2005. This survey is designed to 1) investigate students’ perception on how e-Learning technologies, student and teacher affect the learning process and 2) the enhancement to learning effectiveness brought by e-Learning. The implications for effective online adult learning in Hong Kong will be discussed. Technology should be used primarily as a tool and a communication device to enable human relationship and enhance interactiveness among learners. Even though student respondents perceived teacher as the imparter of wisdom, and demanded for teacher’s presence and heavy participation in the online environment, the new facilitating role of teachers should be promoted. Students should switch from a dependent role to a self-directed role and actively engage in the knowledge construction process in the online environment. The findings will provide useful reference for educators to enhance learning in adult education.published_or_final_versionCentre of Information Technology in Education, University of Hong Kong and Education and Manpower Bureau, the Government of the Hong Kong SA

Effective E-Learning: Perspective of Adult Learners in Hong Kong

This article examines what constitute effective online learning from the perspective of students in web-enhanced programmes offered in Hong Kong. To investigate the success factors of e-Learning, as well as the role of Internet-based technologies in adult learning in Hong Kong, survey of students studying web-enhanced programmes was conducted in 2005. This survey is designed to 1) investigate students’ perception on how e-Learning technologies, student and teacher affect the learning process and 2) the enhancement to learning effectiveness brought by e-Learning. The implications for effective online adult learning in Hong Kong will be discussed. Technology should be used primarily as a tool and a communication device to enable human relationship and enhance interactiveness among learners. Even though student respondents perceived teacher as the imparter of wisdom, and demanded for teacher’s presence and heavy participation in the online environment, the new facilitating role of teachers should be promoted. Students should switch from a dependent role to a self-directed role and actively engage in the knowledge construction process in the online environment. The findings will provide useful reference for educators to enhance learning in adult education.published_or_final_versionCentre of Information Technology in Education, University of Hong Kong and Education and Manpower Bureau, the Government of the Hong Kong SA

Finite-size scaling considerations on the ground state microcanonical temperature in entropic sampling simulations

In this work we discuss the behavior of the microcanonical temperature $\frac{\partial S(E)}{\partial E}$ obtained by means of numerical entropic sampling studies. It is observed that in almost all cases the slope of the logarithm of the density of states $S(E)$ is not infinite in the ground state, since as expected it should be directly related to the inverse temperature $\frac{1}{T}$. Here we show that these finite slopes are in fact due to finite-size effects and we propose an analytic expression $a\ln(bL)$ for the behavior of $\frac{\varDelta S}{\varDelta E}$ when $L\rightarrow\infty$. To test this idea we use three distinct two-dimensional square lattice models presenting second-order phase transitions. We calculated by exact means the parameters $a$ and $b$ for the two-states Ising model and for the $q=3$ and $4$ states Potts model and compared with the results obtained by entropic sampling simulations. We found an excellent agreement between exact and numerical values. We argue that this new set of parameters $a$ and $b$ represents an interesting novel issue of investigation in entropic sampling studies for different models

The Cambridge Prognostic Groups for improved prediction of disease mortality at diagnosis in primary non-metastatic prostate cancer: a validation study.

Purpose: To validate a new 5-tier prognostic classification system to better discriminate cancer specific mortality in men diagnosed with primary non-metastatic prostate cancer. Patients and Methods: We applied a recently described 5 strata model (Cambridge Prognostic Groups-CPG) in 2 international cohorts and tested prognostic performance against the current standard 3 strata classification of low, intermediate or high-risk disease. Diagnostic clinico-pathological data of men from Prostate Cancer Data Base Sweden (PCBaSe) and the Singapore Health Study were used. The main outcome measure was prostate cancer mortality (PCM) stratified by age group and treatment modality. Results: The PCBaSe cohort included 72,337 men, of whom 7,162 died of prostate cancer. The CPG model successfully classified men with different risks of PCM with competing risk-regression confirming significant intergroup distinction (p<0.0001). The CPGs were significantly better at stratified prediction of PCM compared to the current 3-tier system (C-Index 0.81 vs. 0.77, p<0.0001). This superiority was maintained for every age group division (p<0.0001). Also in the ethnically different Singapore cohort of 2,550 men with 142 prostate cancer deaths, the CPG model outperformed the 3 strata categories (C-Index 0.79 vs. 0.76, p<0.0001). The model also retained superior prognostic discrimination in treatment sub-groups - Radical prostatectomy (n=20,586): C-Index 0.77 vs. 074, radiotherapy (n=11,872): C-Index 0.73 vs. 0.68, and conservative management (n=14,950): C-Index 0.74 vs. 0.73. The CPG groups that sub-divided the old intermediate (CPG2 vs. CPG3) and high-risk categories (CPG4 vs.CPG5) significantly discriminated PCM outcomes after radical therapy or conservative management (p<0.0001). Conclusion: This validation study of nearly 75,000 men, confirms that the CPG 5-tiered prognostic model has superior discrimination in predicting prostate cancer death over the 3-tier model across different age and treatment groups. Crucially, it identifies distinct sub-groups of men within the old intermediate-risk and high-risk criteria who have very different prognostic outcomes We therefore propose adoption of the CPG model as a simple to use but more accurate prognostic stratification tool to help guide management for men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer

Measurement of Non-photonic Electrons in p + p Collisions at sNN\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 200 GeV with reduced detector material in STAR

In this paper, we present our analysis of mid-rapidity non-photonic electron (NPE) production at pT >0.2GeV/c in p+p collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV. The dataset is about 78M TOF-triggered events taken from RHIC year 2008 runs. Through the measurement of e/\pi ratio, we find that the photonic background electrons from gamma conversions are reduced by about a factor of 10 compared with those in STAR previous runs due to the absence of inner tracking detectors and the supporting materials. The dramatic increase of signal-to-background ratio will allow us to improve the precision on extracting the charm cross-section via its semi-leptonic decays to electrons.Comment: 6 pages, 10 figures, SQM0

Shot Noise in Mesoscopic Diffusive Andreev Wires

We study shot noise in mesoscopic diffusive wires between a normal and a superconducting terminal. We particularly focus on the regime, in which the proximity-induced reentrance effect is important. We will examine the difference between a simple Boltzmann-Langevin description, which neglects induced correlations beyond the simple conductivity correction, and a full quantum calculation. In the latter approach, it turns out that two Andreev pairs propagating coherently into the normal metal are anti-correlated for E<E_c, where E_c=D/L^2 is the Thouless energy. In a fork geometry the flux-sensitive suppression of the effective charge was confirmed experimentally.Comment: 12 pages, proceedings of the NATO ARW MQO, Bled, Sloveni

Predictors of treatment outcome in patients treated with radical chemoradiotherapy for stage III Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Proffered SessionBACKGROUND: Chemoradiation has been well established as standard treatment for stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Previous studies have shown that the tumour size as well as its metabolic activity predict treatment outcome after definitive treatment for early-stage disease. We would like to investigate if there are any clinical and metabolic predictors of treatment outcome for stage III NSCLC after chemoradiation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 56 consecutive patients (46 males and 10 females) treated with radical concurrent chemoradiation for their stage IIIA (n=21) and IIIB (n=35) (AJCC 7th edition) unresectable non-small cell lung cancer between July 2006 to February 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. 42 patients had positron emission tomography with integrated computed tomography (PET-CT) scan performed at diagnosis. Of which 14 patients also had PET-CT scan after induction chemotherapy and before concurrent chemoradiation. All received concurrent chemoradiation +/- induction ...postprin